Apple has been making big bets with the likes of big upgrades to its own virtual assistant, Siri. Unfortunately, we’re still several years away from seeing these long-awaited AI improvements according to a recent report. Initially scheduled to debut with iOS 20, the update now seems to be aiming for the iOS 26.4 release. This announcement arrives on the heels of several postponements. Users and industry watchers alike are incensed at the delayed release of Siri’s reimagined functionalities.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, previously addressed the challenges that have slowed Siri’s development. He further underscored that the company is focused on getting a great product out, even if it takes some additional time to do so. Apple has not announced a specific date for the upgrade’s release. They have assured the rollout is still on track for next year.
Delays and Speculations
At first, it sounded like Siri would get the AI-est of upgrades, with the late releases of iOS 26. We all thought it would be here by the time iOS 27 rolled out. As timelines changed, it became clear that users would need to wait longer than expected. As Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently reported, that upgrade’s timeline has become a moving target. He cautioned that it’s been met with some major road blocks, resulting in nearly three years of delay since it was first announced.
The delays have not dampened expectations entirely. There is one ray of sunshine for Apple executives to look for in this prolonged wait. Their hope is that the additional time will result in a more polished experience for users. Federighi’s comments reflect a commitment to quality over speed, indicating that the team is finalizing enhancements that will significantly improve Siri’s performance and capabilities.
Upcoming Features and Release Expectations
Siri’s AI upgrades were initially revealed during last year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), generating excitement among developers and consumers alike. Though originally scheduled for inclusion in iOS 18, these improvements are now slated to make their first appearance in iOS 26.4. The excitement for these updates further emphasizes today’s consumers growing demand for smarter, more capable and more efficient virtual assistants.
The fourth and final major release of iOS 26 that’s usually around the same time as March of next year. If this is the case, this opening pattern would indicate that Apple is more in tune with their users’ expectations for a timely cadence of updates. So far, no official features have been announced. While these developments sound relatively incremental, industry minds think that they will greatly increase Siri’s capacity to grasp natural language and develop context awareness.
